


Our New Beginning

by drewvansexy



Category: Pretty Little Liars
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-03-21
Updated: 2016-08-17
Packaged: 2018-01-16 12:38:58
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 11,995
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1347760
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/drewvansexy/pseuds/drewvansexy
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Set after 4x24. Ezra Fitz suffers from a coma after getting shot and hitting his head. He wakes up three weeks later to find he's forgotten everything about the past three years: Alison, his book, and his time after Hollis are all lost memories. Aria Montgomery is now erased from his past, but what happens when Ezra gets a second chance to fall in love with her all over again?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

Ezra felt a wave of relief wash over him as he stepped into one of the few places he felt familiar with. Here, along with Hollis College, were the only places he had ever spent a lot of his time as a student in Rosewood. He made his way to the jukebox and quickly chose the next song, shaking his head and feeling rather pathetic as he walked back to the bar. The bartender had just set the scotch in front of Ezra when his song of choice began to play throughout Snookers Bar. Perhaps Ezra should have been more ashamed of drinking alone at a bar and wallowing in self-pity as The Fray played softly in the background but he felt he deserved it. His entire world had just collapsed around him and he didn't have anywhere else to go. Other than being told he was a teacher at the local high school—he wondered what could have possibly changed in his senior year of college to make him want that—Ezra was still missing the details on three crucial years of his life.  _How was it possible to completely forget three years of your life? What if he had big plans for the next few years? What if he had met someone after Jackie? What if he fell in love?_ The thoughts ran on a constant loop in Ezra's mind. He wanted answers but he didn't know of anyone who he could trust to give him the right ones. Everyone he knew was long gone; they moved on from their lives in college and never looked back to the quiet, small town that Ezra, for some unknown reason, chose to stay in. He hadn't ever felt this lonely in his life. So, if he was going to be alone he might as well have good music, however pathetic, in his ears and alcohol in his blood.

Ezra turned his head when the woman three stools to his left let out a sad and heavy sigh as the chorus started. He bit his lip, unsure whether talking to this girl was the right thing to do considering he was completely unaware of what was currently happening in his life, but before he knew it something was drawing him towards her and he couldn't help himself.

"Are you okay?" Ezra asked, more eager than he hoped to have sounded.

The woman snapped her head towards Ezra and her breath caught in her throat. Ezra may have realized that she was staring at him in a way strangers aren't typically prone to do but he was too absorbed in the hazel eyes that just met his to notice. He was enchanted by her long lashes and chocolate brown hair that fell in wavy locks just below her shoulders. After what seemed like an excruciatingly long silence to her, but a far too short one for him, she spoke.

"Yeah, I'm fine sorry. I just really love this song," she responded, offering Ezra a smile that, along with her melodic voice, immediately melted his heart.

Ezra smiled to himself and began to feel slightly less shame for his choice. "B-26," he said to himself, louder than he meant to, and the girl let out a shaky and breathy laugh.

"Yeah... It brings up a lot of memories," she said, her smile and eyes turning distant.

Ezra felt a sting as she brought up memories, since he was lacking many of them. "Good ones, I hope?"

She stared at him again, forcing a smile, and his heart began to flutter. "Mostly."

Ezra smiled, and he didn't know exactly why he was smiling, but something about this girl made his heart leap like never before—it scared him. He'd never been affected by someone so quickly before. His eyes tore themselves from hers and he glanced down, catching a glimpse of a notebook trapped between her arm and the table.

"You write?" he asked curiously, taking his drink and sliding to the stool next to hers, hoping she wouldn't find the move too forward.

She followed his eyes to her notebook and nodded, smiling sheepishly. "It's quiet here in the afternoons so I've been coming here to write a lot lately, but it's nothing special, mostly personal."

Ezra's smile grew even wider and he shook his head. "Wow... One of my professors used to say that if you're writing for yourself that's pure passion."

Her expression immediately fell and she held in her breath.

Ezra's eyes widened. "I—I'm sorry, did I say something?"

She shook her head and the smile returned to her face. "No, no. I was just having a moment..."

"It's fine," he assured her, although he was thoroughly confused as to what she meant by 'moment'. "So... Does the beautiful and mysterious writer have a name?"

She blushed and placed a couple strays of hair behind her ear, looking up into his sparkling blue eyes with a shy smile. "Aria. Aria Montgomery."

"I'm Ezra Fitz. It's nice to meet you, Aria," he said, testing the feel of her name on his tongue. It rolled out of his mouth effortlessly, like he'd said it a million times before. "I write too, but usually for Hollis competitions—I mean, I used to... Maybe you'd let me read some of your writing sometime," he added.

Her fingers tightened slightly around her notebook and she laughed. "Sometime..."

* * *

_Aria sat at her desk, gnawing at her fingernails—a nervous habit she'd taken up after the incident. It'd been three weeks since the rooftop. Three weeks since he fell unconscious and has since failed to wake up. Three weeks since Aria found herself questioning everything she thought she knew and everything she thought she wanted. She counted the days, knowing that with each one passing the hopes of seeing him alive and well again were dwindling. She knew there was still plenty of time for her to be optimistic, but Aria had quickly learned that she wasn't given much room to be hopeful in her life. Still, she wished she could have the same positive thoughts in her head that he would if the places had been reversed. A knock at her door startled Aria out of her head and she glanced up to see her mother leaning against the doorway.  
_

_"Aria..." Ella said cautiously._

_"Mom? What's wrong?" Aria asked, immediately sensing Ella's worried tone._

_"Spencer just called. She wants you to go over."_

_"Mom...?"_

_Ella sighed deeply. "Ezra woke up today," she said softly and Aria's eyes lit up. "I think you should go see Spencer," she added._

_Aria laughed in disbelief and set down her pen. "What? No, mom..." Aria stood up and began walking out her door. "I'm going to see Ezra _—"_  
_

__"Aria!" Ella snapped, surprising Aria and making her turn back. "You should go see Spencer," she added in a sad whisper._ _

__Aria stood still as her mother passed by her and walked down the hall. Her jaw was dropped slightly in shock. She rarely ever heard her mom sound so harsh and it frightened her. Why didn't Ella want her seeing Ezra? Why was Spencer the one who knew that Ezra was awake?_ _

__Aria opened Spencer's front door and peered inside. "Spence? It's me," she called out as she stepped into the room, shutting the door behind her._ _

__"Aria?!" Spencer asked, running down the stairs and capturing Aria in a warm hug._ _

__Aria stepped back a few feet from the impact but quickly wrapped her arms around Spencer in response. "Hey, what's going on? Ezra's awake? How did you find out _ _—" Aria asked, panicked.___ _

____Spencer pulled back and nodded. "Wren called me this morning."_ _ _ _

____Aria lowered her brow. "Wren? But why would _ _—"___ _ _ _

______"He knows that I'm your friend and he thought it would be better if I was the one to tell you..."_ _ _ _ _ _

______"Tell me what..."_ _ _ _ _ _

______Spencer bit her lip. "Ezra woke up _ _—"___ _ _ _ _ _

________"Yes I know," Aria cut in, frustrated. "Which is why we should be on our way to the hospital right now, I need to see him _ _—__ _ _"___ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________"Aria! I _ _—I didn't finish," Spencer said sharply.___ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________Aria stared back at her in confusion, licking her lips nervously. "What happened? _ _You said he was awake, right? What could possibly _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _—__________ "___ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________"Ezra is fine, _ _he's fine... but, there's still swelling in his brain. It's not fatal or anything but..." Spencer trailed off.___ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________________"But what?!"_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________________" _ _He's suffering from memory loss..." Spencer said, her lip trembling.___ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________________Aria's face softened. " _ _What?" she whispered.___ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________________"He has no memory of the last three years. He can't remember graduating Hollis, working at Rosewood High, the rooftop, Alison, the book, us... You."_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________________Aria didn't say anything as she held her breath._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________________" _ _He doesn't remember you..." Spencer finished.___ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________________Aria sank down onto the couch. "None of it? Everything we went through, everything we shared, everything we felt for each other? It's _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _—It's all gone..."___________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________________________________Spencer sat down beside her friend. "I'm so sorry, Ar. I'm so, so sorry."_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________________________________Aria buried her face in her hands as she began to cry, softly at first but soon her entire body shook with her sobs. Spencer held Aria, attempting to comfort her but not knowing how. Aria always told herself that no matter how much A threatened her relationship they could never take away the love Ezra and Aria shared, but now A had managed to do just that._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

* * *

Aria's face grew distant again as she remembered the day when the most important times of her life were ripped away from her, crumbling into dust before her very eyes. Ezra wondered curiously what she was thinking about, knowing better than to interrupt another one of her 'moments' by asking. She eventually came back to reality to find him staring at her in a way that should have made her uncomfortable, but instead made her feel warm and loved. She held his gaze for a moment, enjoying the connection she felt to her past. She figured she must have been imagining the familiar look of adoration in his eyes, and she forced herself to look away. She was only seeing what she wanted to see. He didn't even know her, and without the book he had no reason to try. How could he possibly look at her the same way ever again?

Aria's eyes fell onto the clock and she gasped, "I'm sorry, I've got to leave. But, I'll see you around... Ezra," she paused slightly before saying his name out loud.

She stepped down from her stool and grabbed her notebook as she did so. She began to walk towards the door when she felt a hand gently reach out and grab her bicep. His touch sent a warm shiver down her arm and she held her breath again as he turned her shoulder to face him. He too felt the fireworks between their skin and didn't pull his hand away until she looked at him.

"S-Sorry," he stuttered, trying to recover from the spark that flew between them. "You forgot your pen..." he said softly, holding it out for her.

She never took her eyes off of him as she reached for it. "Thanks."

Aria began to turn around but his voice stopped her. "Wait _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _—______________________ "

She looked back at him. "Hm?"

Ezra ran his hand through his hair nervously. "I know it's a little sudden, considering I just met you but... Did you want to come over for dinner tonight? I really only know how to cook pasta... Well we don't have to eat at my place, anywhere is fine but I—I want to get to know you better," he finished, his heart racing. He didn't know what had come over him. He had never been the type of guy to ask a stranger to dinner; in fact, he'd never been the type of guy to talk to one at a bar.

She smiled at him again and he wished she would stop. Ezra could feel his stomach drop whenever he looked at her. "I'll meet you at your place at seven," she replied with a slight nod, turning back towards the door once again.

She resisted the urge to roll her eyes when his voice stopped her yet again. "Aria?" She turned around again. "Don't you need the address?" he asked with a boyish smirk.

Aria mentally kicked herself and walked back over to him, chuckling. "I'll give you my number, you can text it to me."

He handed her his phone and she went to his contacts, quickly and discreetly changing the 'M' in his phone to 'Aria Montgomery'. He took it back from her and glanced down, smiling like an idiot at the name in his phone.

"See you tonight, Aria," he said. But when he looked up, she was gone.


	2. Chapter 2

Aria slowly walked down the hallway to apartment 3B _—_ a journey she hadn't made in months. She stood before the wooden door still debating whether or not she should be doing this.  _What exactly was she doing?_ The last time Aria was inside that apartment she was screaming at Ezra to get lost and now she was preparing to have dinner with him. Perhaps it was curiosity that caused her to say yes to Ezra earlier that day, or more likely, the fact that whenever she was around Ezra she seemed to completely lose herself. She knew pursuing whatever this was with Ezra was dangerous, but it was something she felt she had to do. It was her only opportunity to get the answer to the one question she'd been dying to know ever since he confessed to writing the book and knowing Alison.

* * *

_"Aria, what the hell were you thinking?!" Spencer shouted at her from across Aria's bedroom._

_Aria sat on the bed and remained quiet, playing with her hands in her lap and refusing to meet Spencer's eyes, though she could still feel her glare burning into her skin._

_"I'm serious, Aria. This is dangerous!"_

_"You think I don't know that?!" Aria snapped back, picking her head up to look at Spencer._

_"Then why'd you say yes?"_

_"I don't know!"_

_" _Why did you even talk to him?!" Spencer questioned angrily.__

_"I had no idea he was going to be at the bar! What was I supposed to do, ignore him when he talked to me?!"_

_Spencer sighed, realizing how hard this was for her friend. "You didn't have to say yes..."_

_"I don't get what the big deal is. He doesn't remember me, Spencer! He doesn't even remember Alison or the book!"_

_"Aria... What you're trying to do is just going to end up hurting you."_

_Aria got up and stood before Spencer, trying to be as big as she could despite Spencer towering over her. "You have no idea what I'm trying to do!"_

_"Yes I do, Aria! You think this can be a clean slate for you both but you can't repeat the past!"_

_"Really, Spence? You can't repeat the past? Stop_ fucking _quoting Gatsby! This isn't repeating the past, Spencer. I'm a different person from when we met two years ago and so is he!"_

_Spencer rolled her eyes. "Please, just listen to yourself! Maybe it isn't repeating the past, but you're trying to recreate it! _ _Have you even thought any of this through? What if he finds something about you?__ What happens if he remembers, huh? What do you think he'll do when he realizes you've been lying to him?"_

_"He approached me!" Aria yelled, changing the subject. "No Alison, no book, and he still talked to me..."_

_"Aria, you're expecting this to be just like it was before. It isn't going to be the same! It never will be like that as long as he doesn't remember and you need to understand that before you get seriously hurt!"_

_Aria gripped the back of her head with both of her hands. "God dammit, Spencer! I fucking deserve this!" Aria screamed, throwing her hands down angrily. "I need to know if what we had was real... If he would have ever loved me if it wasn't for that fucking book..." Aria whispered, choking back her tears._

_Spencer's face softened. "Aria, I get it. You're still angry that he knew who you were before he met you and you want to change that but this isn't the way to do it! This is a man's memory, not some puzzle that you can rearrange! You should be helping him rebuild it not tear it apart! Wouldn't you rather he remember? Don't you want him to know everything he risked to be with you? Isn't that love more important than how you first met?"_

_"I want him to remember everything... I do, I just _—I have to know if he could have fallen in love with me on his own... I just have to," Aria admitted._ _  
__

_"But what happens if he doesn't?" Spencer said painfully. She hated having to be the one to tell all of this to her friend but she needed to hear it. "You're in love now, isn't that enough? You know he would do anything for you! Why is this so important to you?"_

_Aria 's eyes went to the floor._

_"Look, I'm not going to just stand here arguing with you. Go to dinner with him tonight, whatever. Just please be careful. You need to understand exactly what it is that you're doing," Spencer warned._ _"And don't sleep with him."_

_"Spencer!" Aria yelled but it quickly became laughter._

_Spencer laughed with her and smiled, glad to finally be done screaming at her best friend._

_"I know you think this is a terrible idea, but what other choice do I have?" Aria said quietly. "I can't just sit by and wait for his memories to come back..."_

_Spencer bit her tongue to prevent yet another argument. "I know, I'm sorry. You know I'm just trying to look out for you, right?"_

_Aria pulled Spencer into a warm embrace. "Of course." After a minute Aria released her and gave Spencer a reassuring smile. "I have to get ready for tonight. I'll call you later."_

* * *

Aria finally knocked on the door and waited nervously before it swung open, revealing Ezra on the other side.

"Hi!" he said enthusiastically, moving aside so that Aria could go in.

She took a deep breath and smiled at Ezra as she entered for what felt to her like the millionth time. It didn't take long for her to notice that he must have finished cleaning up her mess, and the place where he kept the information for his book was now emptied too; something she was silently grateful for. There was a suitcase half-filled with clothing while the rest was laid out on the bed. Aria wondered to herself if maybe he had been planning to leave at her request after all. Ezra closed the door and walked back to the kitchen to check up on the pasta.

"Sorry, the place is kind of bare except for that corner over there," he said, nodding his head towards the large bookshelves.

Aria shook her head and turned to face the corner she knew so well. "No, it's great. I like it."

Ezra grinned. "I must have been in the middle of moving or something..." he mumbled to himself as he turned to get plates from the cabinet above the sink.

Aria overheard and she immediately felt guilty for not telling him what happened to him. He must be so confused about his life and she wished she could tell him everything, but she was too curious about what would have happened if they actually  _were_ strangers. Aria knew most people would see her as selfish but compared to what Ezra put her through she figured she had earned the right to be. And what if telling Ezra only meant he remembered who she was, not how he felt about her? If anything, at least he would be able to love her because he wanted to rather than because he was told to.

"Do you want something to drink?" Ezra asked, breaking her train of thought.

"Huh?" Aria turned back to face him as he dished pasta onto two plates.

"I have beer, water... And, well, beer," he said with a shrug.

Aria laughed but the subject of alcohol quickly made her uneasy.  _Shit._ He had no idea how old she was, or that she was still in high school. She wondered when she should tell him, or  _if_ she should tell him. Then again, lying never seemed to help anyone in Rosewood. Her phone went off and she snapped out of it, glancing at Ezra to see him looking at her questionably.

"Oh, sorry... I'll have a beer," she said shakily, hoping he wouldn't notice the wariness in her voice.

As he turned around to get her drink she reached for her phone in her back pocket. She quickly glanced at it, freezing on the spot when she did.  _Fucking great._

**When people play with memories, someone gets hurt. The truth can only stay buried for so long. -A**

Aria stared at the message for a while, mentally hitting herself in the head for having the audacity to hope that A had disappeared for good that night on the roof. Another guilty feeling hit her as she realized Ezra was once again in danger of A's wrath. How could she have forgotten that crucial detail of her life? How could she have let Ezra become a target again?

"Here you go," Ezra said, refocusing Aria's attention for the second time that night.

Aria stashed her phone in her pocket and smiled apologetically as she took the plate and beer he was handing her. "I'm sorry," she said, although she wasn't sure whether she was talking about being distracted or being selfish.

He smiled. "For what?"

Aria felt herself blush at his charm and followed him as he walked in front of the couch, looking around for a moment with his eyebrows lowered. "I don't have a table..." he said, but it was more of a question for him than a statement.

Aria pushed past him and settled on the floor, resting her back against the couch. Ezra stared blankly at her for a moment, not sure what to do next. He watched as she made herself comfortable on his carpet. She made it seem like she'd been there before but he didn't mind. Truthfully, though he couldn't figure out why, he found her sense of comfort refreshing. Maybe it was because it was nice to have one person in the room who was confident about how they acted.

"Well?" she said, looking at him expectantly. "Aren't you going to sit down?" She asked, pointing at the space across from her.

He laughed and joined her on the floor. "Sorry... I should have thought about the fact that I don't own a table before I invited you for dinner."

She shrugged and took a bite of pasta. "I like sitting here better anyways."

He nodded, though he didn't fully understand, and pointed to her plate. "I should have invited you tomorrow night, my brother always says that I make really good leftovers."

She giggled and took a sip from her beer. "Then I guess I'll just have to come back."

Aria couldn't believe how well the evening was going. Ezra was as charming as he'd always been, slightly more flirtatious but that probably had something to do with the fact that he still had the mind of a college student. Aria found herself happier than she'd been in months. Even when she and Ezra got back together at the cabin she sensed that something was off, but right now she finally felt like everything was working out. Of course, she knew that she would have to deal with the high school and A situation at some point, but now she had to enjoy every single moment of bliss with him that she could.

After they finished eating Ezra grabbed their plates and took them to the sink. Aria stood up and followed him, grabbing her now empty beer bottle and tossing it in the recycling bin.

"Can I ask you a question?" Aria asked hesitantly as he finished putting their plates in the dishwasher.

He dried his hands off with a towel and turned to face her. "Sure."

"Why did you ask me here?"

He looked at her in confusion for a moment before speaking. "Actually I'm not really sure... I just mean that I'm not the type of guy who would ask a stranger out but... I really wanted to get to know you better. You're smart, interesting, funny... I'm really glad I did," he said, his cheeks turning red. He hoped his answer hadn't come off as creepy.

Aria blushed as well and took a step closer to him. "I'm glad you did too."

She gazed into his eyes searching for something, perhaps recognition, or maybe love. She knew she was being ridiculous but she couldn't help but miss the way he used to look at her or the way it made her feel. Ezra always had a way of making her feel safe and happy with just a simple look. Now was no different, but she had to force herself to realize that she was once again imagining it. Her eyes made their way to Ezra's lips, trying to remember how they'd felt, and she longed for them to be on her own. Before she knew it, they were. It took her a moment but she responded to the kiss, surprised by how familiar it felt. Ezra's hands settled on her hips as her arms wrapped around his neck and her fingers ran through his thick hair, pulling it softly. Their mouths moved together perfectly just like before and Aria suddenly, albeit reluctantly, pulled back, Spencer's words ringing in her head. She knew if she didn't stop then she might not be able to.

Ezra left his eyes closed for a little bit, a hint of a smile across his lips. When he did open them he met her intense gaze. She bit her bottom lip nervously and removed her hands from around his neck. He sensed her discomfort immediately.

"I'm sorry..." he said, taking his hands from her hips and rubbing the back of his neck.

"For what?" she asked, repeating his earlier statement.

He let out a small chuckle before looking at her, then dropped his eyes to the floor. "It's just... I don't want you to think I only brought you here for this. I'm not the kind of guy who tries anything on the first date."

"It's only a kiss." Aria said, suppressing a laugh and thinking about how they'd previously ended up on the counter of a bar bathroom after knowing each other for less than a couple hours.

Ezra smiled sheepishly and stuck his hands in the front pockets of his jeans.

Aria couldn't help the growing smile on her face as she looked at him. Her impatient heart ached for the Ezra she knew to come back to her, but she knew this was her only way to get closure. "I have to go," she said quietly.

Ezra nodded in understanding, wanting her to stay but deciding not to push her on the subject. "I'll see you tomorrow, then?" he asked hopefully.

Aria smiled and nodded, leaning forward and giving him a kiss on the cheek before moving her mouth to his ear. "I'd like that," she whispered.

As soon as she left, Ezra leaned against the door, the smile from before still plastered on his face. He'd never met anyone who made him so nervous. He desperately wanted the chance to know her, to fall in love with her. Ezra had known this girl for a day and he could already feel himself falling, fast. It scared the hell out of him, mostly because he still had zero idea where he was in his life but also because in his mind he'd just ended things with Jackie. He went to bed that night with only the short brunette with the infectious laugh on his mind. Aria took her time walking home; the entire world seemed to be brighter and she couldn't get enough of the scenery around her. She knew her movie-like happiness wouldn't last long, it never did, but that night was the best sleep she'd had in weeks.


	3. Chapter 3

Aria set her fork on her empty plate and pushed it out on the floor in front of her. "You were right... These have got to be the best leftovers I've ever had."

Ezra grinned at her and laughed. "See? I told you."

Her eyes lit up at the sight of his smile. No matter how she was feeling it always seemed to bring her comfort. They sat in silence for a long time, but it was not the comfortable silence they used to share so often. Ezra had something he wanted to say and Aria noticed it the moment she arrived at his apartment. Every pause between them he would open his mouth then close it seconds later. This repeated throughout the night and it made Aria impatient and nervous. She wanted him to say it already, to get it over with, but a part of her feared that whatever he had to say might shatter everything she'd hoped for them. What if this version of him wasn't over Jackie? What if this version of him didn't like Aria's personality? It's what had worried her and made her want to start fresh with him in the first place. She wanted to know that Ezra could have fallen in love with her on his own. She wanted to know that he would stay with her through all of her stubbornness and flaws because he wanted to, not because he had to keep her close for research. She worried that whatever words he had to say might give her the answers she couldn't bear to hear.

"Can I ask you something?" Ezra blurted out. He seemed hesitant.

"Of course."

He ran a hand through his hair nervously then looked at Aria. Her big hazel eyes locked onto his and he felt his nerves settle down. He felt small, as if he could disappear into her vast golden-green stare and get lost in her forever. He wouldn't mind. He couldn't remember a time when simply looking at someone had ever made him feel so... whole. His gaze fell to her full lips, remembering how they had felt against his own and he suppressed a smile when he noticed that her bottom lip was trapped between her teeth. He tore his eyes away and brought them back up to her meet her eyes. She raised her eyebrows expectantly and Ezra realized he hadn't said anything. He cleared his throat and smiled sheepishly, embarrassed by his ability to become so distracted by her. He couldn't explain what was happening to him.

With a heavy sigh his eyes dropped to his plate, where he was mindlessly pushing a piece of penne around with his fork. "How old are you, Aria?"

To say the question caught Aria off-guard would be an understatement. She had been expecting the worst, expecting a slew of heartbreaking words to come spiraling at her one after the other until she couldn't take it anymore. Granted, this wasn't the brightest of situations either, but it was something that would have to be dealt with eventually. She didn't take her eyes off of him, letting the initial wave of shock, relief, and gratitude pass before she spoke.

"Eighteen," she replied with little emotion. She didn't see the point in sugarcoating it. What she didn't understand was how he had found out. Maybe she didn't look as mature as she thought she did. Maybe he'd been lying to her two years ago when he said she didn't act like a high school student.

"So you're still in high school..." he said softly, almost like a question.

There was still a part of him that hoped she would say she was at least in college. He looked up to see her nod slowly in confirmation. He sighed. Of course. There had to be a catch. He couldn't get away with something so wonderful and simple. His life didn't work that way. Aria noticed the way his face fell and recognized the same look of defeat and acceptance that she'd seen on Ezra so many times before.

"Am I really  _that_ easy to read?" she asked with a soft laugh, trying to lighten the mood.

Ezra couldn't help but smile at her easy going nature, though he was trying not to. It was refreshing to see her so nonchalant about the situation but he had to remember that he was sitting across from a high school student. And he also had to remember that he was no longer in college. He was twenty-six and she was eighteen. While it was technically legal, Ezra was still creeped out by the thought of it. Still, the way she carried herself and the way she spoke made her sound, in many ways, more mature than most of the people Ezra had come across in college. Ezra knew through hearing the stories she told and seeing how she reacted to them that Aria had been through more experiences and had a more interesting lifetime than anyone he knew. The more he thought about her question, the more he realized that had it not been for the message he received earlier that day, Aria's age would still remain a mystery.

* * *

_Ezra spent the day on the couch, skimming through the tv channels as he awaited Aria's arrival. He wondered if his life would have been this boring without the accident; if he'd really let himself become the type of guy who had absolutely nothing to do or look forward to except wait around all day for someone to stop by. He preferred the idea that he would be working on some important story right now that he could no longer remember, but the reality that maybe he had faded away into nothing after college lingered hauntingly in the back of his mind. He stared at the tv, the images of whatever shitty program he was watching not registering in his brain. The mystery of his life clung to him relentlessly and made him hungry for answers that he knew he would never receive. It was exhausting. The couch vibrated softly beneath him and he picked his head up, reaching his hand between the cushions in search of his phone. He pulled the object from its place stuck between the leather and looked at it._

**_Unknown number:_ **

**_Consent age in PA is 16. If the year is 2012 and the girl you like was born in 1994, by what margin did you miss going to jail? Let's hope you can remember how to do math. -A_ **

_Ezra looked over the message three times before turning the screen off and returning his attention to the tv. He couldn't make any sense of it. Who was "A"? He eventually ignored the text, realizing that they probably just had a wrong number and if it had been someone he knew the number wouldn't have been unknown, but as the hours passed he felt himself becoming more anxious. Was the message talking about Aria? Could she really be eighteen? He shook his head. There was no way that Aria wasn't in college, but still he felt the doubt rising in him and decided that he would ask. He had to know for sure._

* * *

Ezra began debating whether or not he should tell her the truth about the message. He wondered if she would find it strange but he remembered how up front she had been about her age and decided she deserved the same kind of response.

"No it wasn't that. I, uh... I know it's weird but I got a text today from an unknown number—" he began, noticing Aria's entire body tense up at the word 'unknown'. He let it go and continued, "It said something about your age and I, well I ignored it at first, but..."

Aria was going to ask him if the text was signed by "A" but she already knew the answer, plus she was too shocked to respond. Of course she knew that "A" was a threat to her new relationship with Ezra but she never expected them to contact him directly. For the second time that night she was caught completely off-guard. This was definitely not going as she had planned. She knew that Ezra probably noticed the stiffness of her body and she forced herself to relax.

"Why does my age even matter?" Aria asked, purposefully ignoring the strange text message and hoping he would drop it as well.

Ezra lowered his brow, confused at how quickly Aria moved past the idea that an unknown person texted him and somehow knew about a girl he had just met a few days ago. She seemed to brush it off in a matter of seconds, not bothered by the idea of a stranger involved in her personal affairs, as if it was something that regularly occurred in one's daily life. Ezra soon realized he didn't have a good answer to her question. She was legal and there was nothing in the eyes of the law stopping them from having a relationship.

"What really bothers you about this? Do you not think I'm mature enough to handle this?" Aria pushed in response to his silence.

Ezra thought hard about what she was asking him. Ezra already knew she was mature enough, so why did he care? The sad, yet true, answer was that he was afraid. He was scared of the attention a relationship with a high school student could bring him. He was still trying to figure out and remember everything about who he was, and drawing attention to himself would only make that more difficult. But the biggest reason, and the thing that he feared most, was the fact that this girl had an effect on him that he'd never experienced before. He could feel himself falling harder for her with every word that passed through her lips, and the thought absolutely frightened him. The opportunity to use her age as some way to weaken his feelings for her was too inviting to pass up, and it was also failing miserably. Even now it only became clearer to him that a chance to know Aria Montgomery was not something to be looked over. He decided to keep that part to himself though, not wanting to scare her away by telling her he was only freaked out because he was practically falling in love with her.

"No, of course you're mature enough... When I'm with you I've never noticed the age difference. It's just," he said, pausing in an attempt to find the right words. "It's just that recently I've been having some trouble with—" He caught himself before spilling the truth. If he told her he had no memory of the last three years of his life he would surely never see her again. "I've been trying lay low for a while and—"

"And hanging out with someone in high school in a town like Rosewood isn't the best way to keep your name from popping up in conversation..." she finished for him. "I get it. I wouldn't want to do anything that would make you uncomfortable," she explained sadly, a clear expression of disappointment on her face. Before she would have convinced him to give them a chance, but she understood how hard it must be to forget an entire part of your life and she dropped it without a fight. She stood up and grabbed her purse off of the couch. "Goodbye, Ezra," she said softly with a tight smile before making her way to the door.

He looked at her with curiosity and awe. She never failed to surprise him with how much she understood the world and he wondered how she could accept his cowardly fear of being a subject to town gossip so easily. It was then, he realized as she explained this to him, that he was also disappointed. He didn't want her to get it. He wanted her to convince him that this was a good idea, that he shouldn't care what other people think. He needed something to push him away from his petty fears and tell his terrified brain to shut up. When her hand rested on the doorknob Ezra felt something pushing its way up his throat. She twisted it and the sudden fear of seeing Aria for the last time shot through him and he couldn't help it.

"Fuck it," he blurted out.

Aria turned around, releasing the doorknob, and raised an eyebrow. She held in the smile that came from hearing Ezra curse. Of course she'd been around him enough to hear it occasionally in the past, but it was amusing to see him using the word in such a casual manner. Ezra had always been a fan of using language when the situation called for it, but she rarely ever heard him curse just for the hell of it. He'd always said that Aria swore enough for them both.

Ezra stood up and walked towards her. "I don't care about this town, or the gossip, or anything. I can't ever watch you leave knowing you'll never come back."

Aria felt a burst of happiness bubbling up inside of her and before she had the chance to say something stupid, like she loved him, she leaned forward and crashed her lips against his. He smiled against her mouth but before it could get too heated she pulled away, leaving Ezra with the ghostly taste of her mouth on his lips. She stared up at him and lowered her brow.

"What kind of trouble?" she asked curiously.

"What?"

She bit her lip. "You said earlier you were having some trouble..."

Aria knew that what she was doing was wrong. She knew how awful she was for taking advantage of Ezra's state but this was her chance to fix everything. This was her opportunity to right all of the wrongs that he'd done to her in their past. She had to know if Ezra Fitz was capable of being honest with her from the start. She didn't know what she was looking for exactly. Even the slightest hint of information seemed like it would be enough for her.

"Oh, right..." Ezra sighed.

Of course he couldn't tell her about his memory, but he wondered if what he was about to tell her was somehow worse. Even though it was in the past, he imagined that Aria hearing her posible boyfriend—would she even consider him as her boyfriend?—was planning to be married isn't the most settling thing in the world. He opened his mouth but closed it almost immediately, rethinking his next few words carefully. Technically speaking, Jackie had broken his heart over three years ago, but in his scrambled mind the wounds were still fresh. He decided to leave time out of it; the subject was too messy for him to try and figure out.

"It was a little while ago, but I was um..." Ezra ran a hand nervously through his hair. "I was actually engaged... It was this girl named Jackie but, uh, she called it off before we ever got married," he said as he scratched the back of his neck, anxious to see her reaction. After a few moments of silence he quickly regretted telling her anything. He'd met this girl two days ago and here he was sharing his whole damn life story with her. He'd been so distracted by the comfort he felt in her presence and the way she made it so easy to open up that he'd completely forgotten the short span in which he'd actually known her. "Shit... Sorry I don't know why I told you that or why I thought you'd want to know I just—I thought it might be important, I don't know why... It's only been two days, I'm sorry," he rambled on, making Aria giggle at his flustered state.

Truthfully Aria was just in shock that he'd actually told her about Jackie. She didn't have to find out through a picture on Facebook or through an awkward encounter with Jackie at her dad's faculty mixer. Ezra was being honest with her because he wanted her to know.

"Ezra," Aria interrupted his mumbling and he stopped talking, bringing all of his attention to her. "Thank you for telling me."

He let out a sigh of relief and smiled at her. The nerves he felt seemed to melt away with every second that she stared at him. She made him feel so at ease, despite also being the source of his nervousness whenever he was around her. Maybe that's what finding someone to share your life with is supposed to be like. They can make you feel fifteen again; the butterflies fluttering around in your stomach whenever you see them or hear them speak, but they can also make you feel confident; confident enough to be yourself and not have to worry about making a fool of yourself in front of them because they will love you all the same. Is that what this was? Love? Ezra thought that what he'd felt for Jackie had been love, but whatever he felt for Jackie was nothing like what he now had for Aria. It was far less passionate, exciting, and powerful. Was he in love with Aria Montgomery already? No, of course not. How could he be? Once again his strong feelings for Aria frightened him and he pushed them far from his mind. He wouldn't let his lust get in the way of something that he knew had the potential to be special. He wouldn't let a foolish thought such as being in love with a girl he'd met two days ago ruin whatever it was that he had with her. He wouldn't scare her away with a slip of his tongue and a falsely held confession.

Aria's breath caught in her throat. They way he was looking at her nearly made her break down. He seemed to be contemplating something important, as if he was having an internal debate with himself. She took the opportunity to study his stunning blue eyes, taking note that they were the same deep ocean blue color that they'd always been. Small specks of grey spotted around his pupils and Aria remembered once telling him that they reminded her of snowflakes. He'd laughed at her strange observation, not able to see the connection himself, but as Aria looked now she could still see the similarity. She felt the same childish joy that she'd always felt whenever she looked into his eyes and was reminded of the cozy winter afternoons spent curled up with him watching movies. Perhaps being with him in his current condition wouldn't be as hard as she thought it would be, as long as she could still find the small memories like this to hold on to.


	4. Chapter 4

_"Ezra!" Aria yelped playfully as he ran down what appeared to be a part of the Hollis campus with her on his back._

_She laughed as she clung to him for dear life and after a few seconds he slowed and returned to a walking pace, a grin spread widely across his face as he struggled to catch his breath. Aria let out another giggle and placed her chin on his shoulder._

_"I swear, you're the biggest child sometimes..." she teased._

_"Hey, you're the one who said I walked slowly," he teased back, still a little bit out of breath._

_She shook her head and kicked her legs slightly, letting him know that she wanted him to put her down. He crouched down until her feet hit the pavement and stood back up, turning to face her. She reached forward and quickly found his hand, locking her fingers with his as she smiled up at him. Using his free hand, Ezra tucked a stray piece of hair behind her ear and smiled back. She stood on her tiptoes and he bent his head down until they met for a short kiss. Once they parted, Aria stayed balanced and moved her mouth to his ear._

_"You better get going, Professor Fitz," she whispered with a smirk._

_Ezra shivered at the feel of her lips barely touching his skin. "What if I don't want to go," he said softly._

_She leaned back, the smirk still on her face. "Goodbye, Ezra," she said in a light voice as she began to walk away._

_His lips formed a pout as her hand slipped out of his and she continued to step backwards from him._

_"I love you," she called out as a reminder._

_He chuckled and turned away. "Mhm," he called back._

_Suddenly Ezra's surroundings began to blur and the next thing he knew he was sitting on his couch watching a drunken Aria dancing around the room. He was just as drunk, and he struggled a bit before he stood up. He somehow managed to knock over the now empty wine bottle that was sitting on the coffee table and he cursed, making Aria giggle from her place across the room as he picked up the bottle and began to walk over to her._

_"And why are you so happy?" Ezra asked, wrapping his arms around her small frame from behind and swaying along with her._

_She leaned back against him and sighed in content. "Because we actually just had a nice dinner with my mom. Because I'm with the person that I love. Because one year ago today I met you in a bar and everything fell into place," she answered softly._

_"Oh, is that all?" He grinned and trailed a few kissed down her neck._

_She turned around and put her hands on his chest, once again leaning into him. His arms were still wrapped around her waist as they moved slowly with the music._

_"What are we listening to?" Ezra asked._

_Aria buried her face in his shirt and let out a light chuckle. "I dunno," she whispered._

_He leaned his head down and placed his mouth next to her ear and began to hum the unnamed song. Aria closed her eyes and smiled._

_"Happy anniversary, Ezra," she breathed._

_"Happy anniversary, Aria."_

_"Ezra?"_

_"Hmm?" he mumbled._

_She pulled away and opened her eyes, which were now rapidly filling with tears. Ezra looked at her and immediately noticed the tears streaming down her cheeks._

_"Aria? What's wrong?" he asked, panicked._

_He felt something around him changing. Everything felt as if it was slowly fading away from him._

_She sniffled. "Please..." she choked out. "Remember me, Ezra."_

_He stared at her with worry and confusion in his eyes as he felt her touch become lighter and lighter. The sound of her crying became more distant with every second that passed and Ezra started to panic. He didn't understand what was happening but he tried to hold onto her. Eventually she disappeared into the background, which had now changed from his apartment to complete emptiness. He looked around frantically, calling out Aria's name, but it was no use. He was alone._

* * *

Ezra woke up in a thin layer of sweat. He sat up quickly and attempted to catch his breath, glancing around to see that whatever the hell just happened was, in fact, a dream. He looked to the clock and groaned. It was four in the morning and there was no way he would be getting back to sleep. He rubbed his eyes and threw the covers off of his body. He hated Mondays.

It'd been two weeks since Ezra first met Aria, for the second time, in Snookers Bar. He'd seen her almost everyday since then. He wondered if the constant contact with her is what prompted his dream—not that he was complaining. It just felt so...  _real._ He considered the possibility that his dream had actually been a memory; only he'd filled in the spot of the mystery girl with Aria instead of someone else. Maybe he and Jackie had tried to give it another shot. Ezra was looking for anything that could be seen as a sign of recovery. He was no closer to remembering his life than he was when he first woke up and it made him frustrated. He hated the black hole in his past that taunted him with the irresistible promise of unattainable answers. He felt damaged and empty despite Aria making him the happiest he'd ever been—or  _remembered_ being. He sighed as he stood up and shuffled lazily to his fridge. He was getting really tired of all the memory shit.

He furrowed his brow as he filled a glass with water from the sink, thinking about how he would need to tell Aria the truth about him eventually. He was afraid of how she would react. Of course he knew that she would be kind to him, but in a way that's what he feared most. What if she said that it didn't bother her but on the inside she was freaking out? Ezra didn't like the idea of making Aria uncomfortable, but he didn't like the idea of lying to her more. He would tell her the truth the next time he saw her.

Hours passed and Ezra found himself doing nothing, again. He reached into his pocket to dial Aria but soon realized what time it was. It was two o'clock on a Monday, meaning she was at  _school_. Ezra removed his hand from his pocket and placed it on his forehead, laughing slightly to himself. How did this happen? The accident that no one can tell him about, the high school girl he'd begun to fall for, not to mention the fact that he was currently unemployed. It made him wonder what he could have possibly done in the three years he'd lost to make himself susceptible to such bad karma.

An hour later Ezra heard a knock at the door. He opened it to see Aria standing there, smiling at him. He stepped aside to let her in, closing the door after her as she plopped down on his couch and lay down. She seemed awfully comfortable there, like she took his previous statement to make herself at home  _very_ seriously, but Ezra didn't mind. In fact, he liked it. It made him feel safer knowing that at least one person felt like they knew his apartment, even when he didn't. A piece of hair fell into Aria's face as she was getting comfortable and she blew air upwards to try and make it move. After several failed attempts, the strand finally fell back into place.

Ezra chuckled at the sight in front of him and she turned her face to glare at him.

"Alright, what's got you in such a good mood?" Ezra asked sarcastically.

"Stupid stuff," she replied.

Ezra refrained from laughing again. "Okay..." he drew the word out as he walked to the couch.

She sat up, making room for him to sit next to her and he did.

"What kind of stuff?" he pushed.

Aria leaned forward and pressed her head into his shoulder. "Like I said, it's stupid," she mumbled.

Ezra leaned back and caught Aria's face in his hands, smiling at the adorable pout on her face.

"Whatever it is, no matter how stupid, tell me."

She shook her head and he dropped his hands, finding hers that were resting in her lap.

"I just... I don't want you to have to deal with this stuff—high school stuff. I don't want you to be constantly reminded of my age, especially when it bothers you," she admitted.

Ezra sighed, frustrated with himself. "Aria, I'm sorry if I made you feel that way and I admit, at first the age thing freaked me out but it's not something I want you to hide from me. I don't care about any of that. I like you for you, and I don't want you to be any different," he said, before his lips turned into a smirk. "Besides, I went to high school, perhaps I could be of assistance."

Aria laughed and punched him lightly in the shoulder before leaning on his shoulder again, this time her head resting on its side. "Please, like I could ever use advice coming from a dork," she teased.

"Hey," Ezra scolded, laughing. "I was a well socially-adjusted dork, thank you."

"Sure."

"So are you gonna tell me what's wrong?" Ezra asked hopefully.

"Mmm..." Aria looked up, as if she were in deep thought. "No."

She grinned at him and he slumped his shoulders in defeat, knowing he'd have to get it out of her later. There was a long silence before Ezra spoke.

"Actually... There is something I wanted to talk to you about," he said carefully.

She looked up at him, trying to hide the hint of fear and panic in her eyes.

"I don't really know how to say this, I'm still trying to figure it all out myself... I guess I just want to word this right so that you don't run off," he explained, stalling.

"I'm not going anywhere," Aria whispered reassuringly.

He eyed her cautiously but her calm demeanor quickly settled him. "Something... happened to me—an accident. I was in an accident a little while before I met you and um..." He paused, making sure to get the wording right and looked down. "I—I don't really, I can't exactly..."

Aria rolled her eyes and smiled at his rambling. "Out with it, Fitz."

"I—" He looked back up into her eyes. "I was shot and hit my head. Don't ask me why, or how, because I can't remember. I—I can't remember the last three years of my life due to swelling in my brain. The doctors aren't sure if I'll ever get my memory back but the longer I go without it the less chance I have of getting it back," Ezra finished, surprising himself at how articulate he managed to sound.

Aria stared back at him in shock, not because she was unaware of his condition, but because she was surprised that Ezra had told her all of that about himself. She realized she should say something but she couldn't find the words. Instead, she lifted her hand to his cheek and leaned forward, pressing her lips to his. He pulled back but their foreheads remained together.

"I'm so sorry, I know that's a lot to take in and I should have told you sooner but I was so surprised at how quickly we got to know each other and before I knew it I—"

Aria shut him up with another kiss before pulling away. "It's okay, Ezra. I'm not mad. I'm sorry that happened to you. I wish you could remember everything."

Ezra smiled, unable to believe what he was hearing. She wasn't angry with him. She wasn't freaked out. He let out a breath he hadn't known he was holding, but, since the universe could never let him be happy for too long, another thought began creeping its way into the back of Ezra's mind. Aria noticed the change in his face and leaned back.

"What is it?"

Ezra sighed. "I really hate asking this Aria, but I feel like I have to. The only thing the doctor told me is that I was a teacher at Rosewood High, and I know that's where you go and I—I need to know. Was I ever your teacher, Aria?"

She felt like the wind was being knocked out of her.  _What kind of question is that?_ She did her best to act calm.

"I didn't even know you taught there," she said matter-of-factly.

By the relieved look on Ezra's face Aria could tell she was convincing.

"I'm sorry for asking. I just—"

"You had to be sure. I understand."

Ezra nodded and smiled at her again. "You're amazing, you know that?"

She returned his smile. "I know," she teased.

"How long can you stay tonight?"

"Depends..." she said, inching closer to his face. "How long do you want me to stay?"

Her lips were just centimeters away from his, and if she'd been focusing more on Ezra rather than her own heartbeat, she might have been able to hear Ezra barely whisper, "Forever," against her mouth before connecting their lips.


	5. Chapter 5

Ezra woke up the next morning to find that Aria had left at some point while he was asleep. He tried not to take it personally, but he would be lying if he said he didn't wish he could wake up next to her every morning. Ezra shook his head. He really needed to stop thinking like that. As much as he cared for Aria he barely knew her. If she knew what he was thinking she would never speak to him again. Ezra wouldn't blame her either, but for some reason he had this feeling that they were meant to be. He didn't believe in fate, or much of anything else, but he believed in whatever they were.

He got out of bed and walked over to his dresser, putting on whatever he grabbed first. As he pulled the red t-shirt over his head he looked down and caught sight of something white sticking out from underneath his dresser. He pulled it out, flipping over the torn strip of paper to reveal some cut off word followed by "-A" in bold black letters. His mind immediately went back to the text he received about Aria's age. Who the fuck was A? Was it someone he'd known before the accident? Was it just a coincidence? Ezra let out a heavy sigh before putting the piece of paper on top of the dresser. His head began to ache and he rubbed his temples in attempt to relieve some of the pain. Whatever—whoever—A was, he could deal with it later.

**. . .**

"Are you sure you know what you're doing?" Spencer asked as she walked Aria to her car.

"Nope," Aria replied.

Spencer rolled her eyes. "That's comforting."

"It's not like there's a textbook on this."

"Actually I'm pretty sure there is. It's called Don't Do It."

Aria frowned, looking down to check her phone.

"Is that him?" Spencer asked, though she already knew the answer.

"Yeah, he wants to do dinner again tonight."

"Have you...?"

Aria tried to avoid the question but her cheeks turned bright red. Spencer sighed defeatedly.

"Aria, what's the one thing I told you not to do."

Aria bites her lip. "Sleep with Ezra."

"And what did you do?"

"Sleep with Ezra..."

Spencer chuckled. "I don't know why I even tried."

Aria responded to Ezra's text as she and Spencer reached their cars.

"Aria?" Spencer said as she opened her door.

Aria looked up, her brow raised expectantly.

"I know I say this all the time but please, be careful. I just want you to be happy."

Aria smiled. "I know, Spence. I'll see you tomorrow."

Spencer knows she should trust her, but she couldn't help the dread settling in her stomach as she watched Aria drive away. One way or another, someone was going to get hurt. She just prayed it wouldn't be Aria. Not after everything that happened. Not after all she'd done to prove to herself that Ezra's love was real.

**. . .**

Ezra heard his phone vibrate from the opposite end of the couch and eagerly moved to check it, hoping that it was from Aria. There was a message from her, saying that she would be over for dinner, but for once hers isn't what caught his attention. He felt his stomach drop as he read the word 'unknown'.

Unknown Number:

ariA knows more than you think.

Ezra sighed and closed his eyes, throwing his phone down on the couch. Were they trying to tell him that Aria was A? Or just that she knew who was? Or maybe everything was completely unrelated and he was just getting fucked with. Then again, whoever this person was told him Aria's age, and why would Aria go through so much trouble just to tell him? None of it made any sense. He wondered if the memories he'd lost could help him now. What had he done in the past three years that made him the target of a cyber stalker? How did they know so much about Aria?

Ezra's train of thought was interrupted by someone knocking on the door.

"Coming," he mumbled as he stood from the couch.

He opened his door to find Aria, a backpack slung across one shoulder.

"Hey, I came by a little early if that's okay," she says, biting her lip nervously.

"Yeah, of course. I'm glad you did."

Aria smiled and walked past him, setting her bag down near the coffee table and climbing onto his bed.

Ezra laughed and closed the door. "Please, make yourself at home."

Aria shrugged, laying back and kicking off her shoes. "What's for dinner?"

"Chinese?" Ezra asked, slightly embarrassed that he'd asked her to come over for takeout.

Aria nodded, then sat up and motioned for Ezra to join her. He walked over to her and stood before her, reaching his hand out to tentatively tuck a piece of hair behind her ear. Aria immediately sensed how tense he was. The quick glances at his dresser didn't go unnoticed either. She looked over at it curiously before looking back at Ezra. She grabs his hand and lightly squeezes it in an attempt to comfort him.

"Is everything okay?" she asked.

Ezra nodded but she could see right through him. Aria frowned and softly cupped his cheek in her hand. He leaned his face into her palm.

"Ezra, what's wrong?" Aria tried again.

Ezra hesitated before grabbing her hand on the side of his face and lowering it slowly. He sighed as he turned to retrieve the piece of paper on the dresser.

Aria looked curiously at him. "What is that?"

"Paper."

Aria rolled her eyes and waited for him to elaborate.

Ezra exhaled deeply and joined Aria on the bed, giving her the paper in the process. He watched her face as she stared at the letter on the paper. She was hard to read, but he swore he saw a hint of fear and confusion in her eyes before she was able to switch to a neutral expression.

Aria cleared her throat. "Where did you get this?"

"I found it under the dresser. Do you have any idea what it means?"

Aria remembered discovering the stash of pictures and files in Ezra's dresser when she first found out about the book. This must have been a piece that tore off of one of his timelines. Her stomach turned at the thought of his book.

"It's just a piece of paper with an A on it," Aria said dismissively, handing it back to him.

"You don't know anything about this?" Ezra asked.

"Why would I?"

"Look," Ezra began nervously. "I've been getting...texts from this number, like the one about your age. It's unknown, and whoever it is signs all of their messages with -A. This has to be connected to that, right? I mean these can't all be a coincidence..."

Aria tried her best to seem disinterested. "I guess."

"Aria, who would know that about you? Who would have that kind of information?"

"I have no idea, Ezra."

"It has to be someone you know..." Ezra pushed.

"Look, I don't know," Aria said, clearly frustrated. "Just ignore them."

Ezra backed off. He worried he might've said something that could make her leave.

"I—I'm sorry... I didn't mean to push it so hard. I guess I'm just trying to find ways figure things out. It's nice being able to know things. Right now everything in my life feels like an unsolvable puzzle."

Aria slowly took his hand in hers. The guilt began to creep in as she recognized the lost, pained look in his eyes.

"You'll remember one day, Ezra. You don't need to figure out who some random creep is to remember your past. It'll all come back with time. I know it will," she assured him. _It has to._

Ezra smiled at her and kissed her forehead gently.

"I'm so lucky that I met you," he whispered into the top of her head.

Aria's eyes began to water as her lips began to mouth the words _I love you._ It hurt knowing that she was the only one who remembered everything they'd been through. Now she was left with years of memories and no one to share them with. The way they fought to be with each other created a connection unmatched by any she'd ever felt before, and now she may never know what it feels like to be loved by Ezra Fitz again. The thought made her heart sink. How is it possible to lose something like that in a matter of seconds? One hit to the head is all it took for their story to be gone forever—one moment for their happiness to be ripped away.

**. . .**

_"Okay," Aria said softly. "Tell me about the happiest moment of your life."_

_Ezra and Aria were laying in his bed facing each other, a single sheet covering their naked bodies. Aria delicately traced the lines of his bare chest with her fingertips as she spoke._

_"Do you really want to know?" he responded._

_"Of course."_

_Ezra smiled and bit his lip nervously._

_"The day you told me you loved me for the first time."_

_Aria blushed and looked down at her hand on his chest._

_"That was the day that changed my life forever," he continued. "It was like nothing else in the world existed. In that moment there was absolutely nothing in our way, and for the first time my dream of being with you didn't seem so impossible. I'd never felt so happy and loved... I felt like I was home."_

_Aria looked up and Ezra noticed the tears silently falling down her face. He wiped them away with the pad of his thumb and kissed her wet cheek._

_"Don't cry, Aria. It's supposed to be the happiest moment."_

_Aria laughed lightly and shook her head. "I just can't believe how lucky I am to have met you."_

_She tilted her head up and gave Ezra a long, gentle kiss. When their lips parted she giggled lightly._

_"What?" Ezra asked, softly playing with the ends of her hair._

_"I'm just happy," Aria whispered into his chest._

_"So, what about you?"_

_Aria looked up at him, her brow raised in question._

_"What's the happiest moment of your life?" Ezra clarifies._

_Aria looked back to where her hand was resting on his chest, her lips curving into a nostalgic smile._

_"The day you gave me that old camera. That was the day I knew."_

_"Knew what?"_

_"That you really loved me," Aria said softly. "That you just wanted to see me happy."_

_Aria felt Ezra's arms tighten around her and she wrapped her arms around his waist in an attempt to be as close to him as possible. It was never enough. There would always be a part of her that longed for him to be closer_ — _for the distance between them to be nonexistent._

_"How much do you remember? Of us?" Aria asked softly._

_"All of it. Every single moment," Ezra replied. "How could I ever forget?"_


End file.
